Detroit Rock City [1999]

This is a coming-of-age movie, similar to Dazed and Confused and American Graffiti. It takes place during one day and this created an upbeat tempo to the movie, helping immensely with the atmosphere and structure. It’s almost an adventure movie, especially if we think about what these kids are after. It evokes those nice and innocent feelings from youth, when you were willing to move mountains in order to get what you want. As we get older, that spark in us slowly dims and only if it’s properly maintained can survive. The music helps with this, especially if you had “your” genre when you were younger. Speaking of music, the soundtrack for this movie simply rocks! It’s filled with classic rock and it generates this positive vibe, almost making you believe in that Kiss mantra.

Hawk, Lex, Jam and Trip Verduie are all members of the most awesome Kiss cover band on Earth: Mystery. The year is 1978 and the boys heard that their favorite band is coming to Detroit. This can mean only one thing: they must get to that concert. They have no money, no car, no tickets and no Azamat. However, that will only bolster their spirits because they care not about obstacles awaiting them, they care only about one thing and that thing is the band Kiss.

Using the framework of rebellious teenagers doing something that they’re “not supposed” to, Detroit Rock City pushes back on the “official system of values” with class and style. The casting choices were perfect, there’s obvious chemistry between four teenagers, led by Edward Furlong. That seventies feeling of vibrant musical scene, possibilities and of course, sex, is something that I truly enjoyed. It felt like they were filming in that era. However, I must stress out that this is not a seventies circle-jerk movie filled with nostalgic moments and crap about “better times”. This is above all a fun and entertaining teenage comedy with a really good script and director, so be sure to check it out. Especially if you like this type of stuff, it’s like a That 70s Show movie. If you’re looking for something similar, you might wanna skip a decade and check out Keanu Reeves going to prom in The Night Before.